Rerpots say that the first Windows 9 preview will be released on September 30. Will that be the day that Windows finally gets back its mojo, or will the operating system continue to be lambasted by critics and users alike?

The Verge reports that the first technology preview of Windows 9 will be unveiled at a press event on September 30, and people will be able to get access to it afterwards. At the moment, it's code-named Threshold, but most people, including me, expect it to be eventually called Windows 9.

Leaked Threshold screenshots show an operating system that users of desktops and laptops can love. It brings back the Start menu which works like the traditional Start menu users have been clamoring for. The Start menu will also display pinned Metro apps and their tiles, so it will to a certain extent bridge Windows 8's two dueling interfaces, one for touch devices, and the other for traditional computers.

There's expected to be much more as well, including being able to run Metro apps on the desktop, and resize them like traditional desktop apps -- and run many of them simultaneously and side by side with desktop apps. Windows 9 is also expected to let you create virtual desktops. And the Charms bar may also be killed off, at least for users of traditional PCs.

All this may add up to an operating system you can love. Windows 8 certainly isn't that. Not only is it an awkward kludge, but there was an arrogance to it -- Microsoft tried to force those with traditional PCs to use an operating system built mainly for touch devices, because Microsoft hoped that would make people want to buy Microsoft mobile devices.

We saw how that turned out. This time, it seems, Microsoft may be listening to its users rather than dictating to them. If the operating system turns out to be as good as the leaked screenshots imply, September 30 could be the start of a Windows revival.